If you haven't already seen this viral first day of school video, watch it here. This little boy is all ready for school thanks to his family and himself. He has no initial fear of the microphone or reporter. He has been taught that school is awesome. One question changes everything: "Are you going to miss your Mom?" At first he fights the feelings but he eventually collapses into tears. Like all of us, he fears abandonment and here it is served up for him.

You're all ready to start a new job as a project manager. The interviews were exciting and although you know this will be a challenge, it's one you are excited to meet. On your first day you meet some of your project team who seems to be watching and waiting to see what you will bring to the project. Eventually, they start educating you on the history of projects at this company. It's not good. You fight to keep your positive vibe until you go to lunch with the Project Sponsor. The Project Sponsor asks, "Are you going to be able to hit the deadlines because no one else seems to be able to?" You nervously encourage him with a positive yes but inside you feel like the little boy at school.

To protect yourself from corporate abandonment, you decide that you are going to have to do everything you can to control the outcome of this project. You commit to yourself that nothing- no people, no tools, no customers, no fatigue, no family members- will keep you from hitting that date. As this goal drips into your brain, your eyes see different things. You can now clearly see that your team, your sponsor, your company, and your customers are all interference. You must keep the project going in spite of all the things they are going to do and ask for.

It's likely the little boy recovered from his fear but I'm guessing his Mom wanted to wring someone's neck (I would). Not so likely with our project manager. In fact, if you look around, you'll see clearly that your addiction to control is the very thing that is preventing your project success.